Iranian nuclear crisis / United States should negotiate with Syria

"Chipping away at Lebanon’s sovereignty or Israel’s security to win Syria’s good will would, of course, be a disastrous mistake. But without crossing those red lines it might be possible for Washington to wean Damascus away from its alliance of convenience with Tehran. Syria and Iran are not natural or inevitable allies. Washington’s clumsy attempts to ostracize both regimes have managed to tighten their mutual embrace."

"Mr. Bush's critics claim the real problem is that the U.S. hasn't opened high-level talks with Iran and Syria. But opening up talks at this point – while these regimes are engaging in abhorrent behavior – would be a serious mistake, particularly when the West faces a major security challenge from state-sponsored terrorism. Doing so would certainly bolster these leaders in the region and normalize their behavior."